Girls Prep Basketball: Benton Extends Lady Indians' Streak
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Lindy Meacham scored 20 points and Melinda Miller recorded a double-double as the Benton Rangerettes won their second game of the season, 50-47, over Du Quoin in overtime Thursday night.
The Rangerettes played a good first half, then weathered an 11-0 run by the Indians in the third period and came from behind to win.
Benton was cruising along when Madaline Parrish scored on a rebound basket to give it a 25-18 lead as the second half started, but that 11-0 run turned things around and Du Quoin took a 29-25 lead. Du Quoin led 32-27 after three periods.
Steffanie Gates scored all nine of her points in Du Quoin's big third quarter.
"(Du Quoin) went on that run, but we responded," Benton coach Seth Tate said. "I told the girls we can't sit and wait for bad stuff to happen, we needed to step up and make good things happen.
"We did that tonight."
A Courtney Melvin steal turned into a Sara Miller hoop to cut the lead to 32-29, but free throws from freshmen Jessica Hirsch and Megi Jones bumped the lead to 34-29. Melinda Miller, who scored 10 of her 17 points in the second half, hit on two straight trips to pull the Rangerettes within 34-33 with 3:54 left, but Hirsch converted a three-point play to give Du Quoin a 37-33 lead.
Hirsch's free throw with 2:02 left made the score 38-35.
Amber Williams hit a free-throw lane jumper with 40 ticks left to make it a 1-point game, 38-37, and Benton fouled Hirsch.
She missed both free throws, but Benton fumbled the rebound out of bounds and Melvin was forced to foul Hirsch with 33 ticks left. The foul was the fifth on Melvin and Hirsch hit 1 of 2 to give Du Quoin a 40-37 lead.
Benton came upcourt and Meacham found herself wide open on the west wing, swishing her second 3-pointer of the game to tie things, 40-40.
"We've been waiting for Lindy to put a game together like this," Tate said.
"It was time for her to step up and I am so proud of her."
Du Quoin called timeout with seven seconds left and Michaela Brown missed a shot to end the game, sending it into overtime.
Meacham got Benton off to a good start in OT, hitting two free throws to give the Rangerettes the lead.
M. Miller then blocked a shot and Meacham followed with her third trey of the ballgame, giving Benton a 45-40 lead with 1:56 left.
The Rangerettes equaled their largest lead of the game one trip later when Williams converted an offensive rebound and scored to make it 47-40.
Du Quoin made one last push, getting five straight points from Hirsch to pull within 47-45 with 46 ticks left.
M. Miller was fouled and missed the bonus shot, but the Indians gave the ball right back to Benton and M. Miller was fouled with 40 seconds left. She hit both tosses for a 49-45 lead.
Brown scored with 24 seconds left and Benton got the ball upcourt to Williams, who misfired on a 3-pointer, but Du Quoin didn't foul until only one second remained. M. Miller hit 1 of 2 shots to end the game, Benton winning 50-47.
Miller ended with 15 points and 11 rebounds, Melvin adding 14 boards.
"That is what seniors are supposed to do," Tate said. "Melinda is our leader on the court, she runs the offense and she hit some big shots at the end of the game."
"That is what seniors are supposed to do," Tate said. "Melinda is our leader on the court, she runs the offense and she hit some big shots at the end of the game."
Benton led for most of the first half.
Parrish and M. Miller had four points each as the Rangerettes took a 10-8 lead after one period.
Meacham had a big second quarter for Benton, scoring nine points as the Rangerettes outscored the Indians 13-10 to lead 23-18 at the half.
Hirsch led all scorers with 21 points, Gates adding nine for Du Quoin.
The Lady Indians have now lost 17 straight times and had leads slip away late in two games this week.
"We are still learning to finish games and struggling in close ballgames," Lady Indians coach Shawn File said.
"We are getting better. It's not showing up with victories, but these girls are improvihg. Its a building process. I feel like we are moving in the right direction."
Jones had eight rebounds for Du Quoin with Gates adding nine points. Brown and Danielle Woll each netted six points.
Micah Ward added four points and a team-best nine rebounds.
Du Quoin (6-8) won the jayvee game 38-19.
Jones and Ashley Ward each scored eight points with Gates and Curry Emling adding six apiece.
"We had nine different girls score and coach (Nick) Brown did a great job of getting all the girls in the game," File said of the jayvees win.
"It's been a long time since we won six games at the junior varsity level. The younger girls are really having a good season."
Du Quoin will play host to Pinckneyville Tuesday night.
BENTON 50, DU QUOIn 47
DHS 8 10 14 8 7-47
Benton 10 13 4 13 10-50
Du Quoin (1-16): Hirsch 7-17 5-9 21, Brown 3-9 0-1 6, Woll 1-3 4-6 6, Ward 2-9 0-0 4, Hess 0-1 0-0 0, Gates 4-5 0-2 9, Bledsoe 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 17-50 10-20 47.
Benton (2-22): S. Miller 2-7 1-2 5, Melvin 0-10 0-0 0, M. Miller 5-13 4-8 15, Meacham 6-13 5-10 20, Parrish 3-9 0-0 6, Hiller 0-3 0-0 0, Hayden 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 18-60 10-20 50.
3-pointers: DQ 3 (Hirsch 2, Gates), Benton 4 (Meacham 3, M. Miller). Rebounds: DQ 24 (Ward 9), Benton 46 (Melvin 14, M. Miller 11). Turnovers: DQ 20, Benton 20.
-Jeff Profitt contributed